Where Virtue Lives

The better you understand yourself the less cause you will find to love yourself.

Thomas ã Kempis 1379-1471, German Monk, Mystic, Religious Writer

Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. NASU

Paul this day presents us with a challenge. It is the challenge to dwell. A dwelling is a place where someone chooses to live. It is their residence, or a place they live of their free choosing, and everyone can go to find them there. Virtue is much like this, it is a place we choose, Joseph Newton said it this way “Not what we have, but what we use, not what we see, but what we choose -- these are the things that mar or bless human happiness.”

What is it that you dwell on every day? Is it your problems, or things that are pressing on you in your life? Is it your plans for the day, or your dreams for your life, or maybe your children, or tomorrow’s appointments? What is it that you are dreaming of, or most consumes your thoughts every day, for these are the things that you will do, or will steer your next moment’s direction.

That’s why Paul suggests to us that our best choices are to dwell on what is honorable, right, and pure and of good repute. Paul bids us this morning to think, or to major on these things, and more importantly, to dwell on the testimony of what he practiced in his life. It was not what he just spoke about, it was a virtuous place he lived, and you could always find him there…God Bless

Pastor William